The Ghoul (1933)

UK 80m, B&W
Director: T. Hayes Hunter; Cast: Boris Karloff, Cedric Hardwicke, Ernest Thesiger, Ralph Richardson, Dorothy Hyson, Anthony Bushell, Kathleen Harrison, Harold Huth, D. A. Clarke-Smith

The Ghoul is a Gothic style “Old Dark House” genre horror film about an Egyptologist who appears to return from the dead after being entombed with a sacred jewel in an Egyptian-type tomb. The film’s excellent production design and superb use of light and shadow are at least equivalent in quality to the Universal Horror classics. Though Karloff seems underused in this film, the setting, plot and supporting performances provide plenty of suspenseful and comedic moments (Klaus Ming May 2016).